Bulgarian potato growers fear drop in production due to higher farming costs

Producers of table potatoes in the country are facing serious difficulties due to high prices of consumables.

A big problem for them is that the new programming period does not provide funding for table potatoes, but only for the varieties for processing.

The country thus may remain without Bulgarian potatoes this autumn.

"I grow about 100 decares of ware potatoes. This sector has always been on the verge of bankruptcy because of large imports from Poland, Germany, France," Svetoslav Andreev, a farmer and secretary of United Farmers, told the BNT morning programme "The Day Begins" on April 4.

He said that potato prices are expected to rise due to the increase in the prices of fertilisers, fuels, chemicals and consumables.

"State financing for potato production is needed," added Ventsislav Mitkov, agricultural producer and chairman of the United Farmers Association.

He stressed that farmers are ready for new strike actions.